The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
